Square Enix recently published the long-awaited newest entry in the SaGa franchise, SaGa Emerald Beyond. Alongside our SaGa Emerald Beyond review, which noted the game’s strengths in combat design and unique flavor in story presentation, we had the opportunity to interact with two key staff for this game. One of them is SaGa series creator Akitoshi Kawazu, who served as director and lead writer for SaGa Emerald Beyond. The other is Tomokazu Shibata, who served as the combat designer for this game.
In this interview, we touch on a smattering of fun topics related to the new game and take a moment to dig into connections from past entries and rumors about potential upcoming remakes. Enjoy!
RPGFan: Most SaGa games have traditional dungeons similar to other RPGs. Why did you decide to leave them behind for Emerald Beyond (and Scarlet Grace before it)?
Kawazu, Shibata: Many video games feature expressions and rules without questioning why they are being used in the first place. Just because, “that’s the way it’s always been,” or, “other games do it.” In creating SaGa Scarlet Grace, we decided to review all of these legacies. As a result, we concluded that the map should be either of the world or of the dungeons, and nothing more.
However, the game ended up lacking in the ability to control the player character on screen, which is a basic element of a video game. With SaGa Emerald Beyond, we’ve improved the gameplay experience by making the maps function to showcase the uniqueness of each world, as well as offer basic gameplay elements.
RPGFan: Is there a meaning behind the names Scarlet Grace and Emerald Beyond? Do you have naming ideas for future titles?
Kawazu, Shibata: Including numbers in the name didn’t feel very modern, so we used subtitles instead. We knew that we wanted to use the color “green” after Scarlet Grace but haven’t decided yet if the next one will be “blue.” Most likely not.
RPGFan: Can we look forward to SaGa Frontier 2 and Unlimited SaGa remasters? Do you foresee any challenges in remastering those titles?
Kawazu, Shibata: SaGa Frontier 2 is in consideration. There’s nothing we can share with regard to Unlimited SaGa at this time.
RPGFan: Alongside utilizing the pantheon of gods (including the goddess Macha) as a connection between Scarlet Grace and Emerald Beyond, what other aspects of the previous game’s lore, myth, and history are waiting for players to discover?
Kawazu, Shibata: If a work is created in pursuit of perfection in the beauty of its world and lore, there would be no room to incorporate other elements. In SaGa Emerald Beyond, there are diverse worlds. It offers a space that tolerates a variety of extraneous elements. Elements from previous SaGa works will make appearances there. However, this doesn’t mean that SaGa Emerald Beyond is a “SaGa series multiverse” type of title. You can think of these elements as cameo appearances.
RPGFan: Why did you decide to bring back unique character races for SaGa Emerald Beyond?
Kawazu, Shibata: Because the fans wanted it. The SaGa franchise allows for a wider range of expression than Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, so there is room for a variety of characters to thrive.
RPGFan: The one-eyed mascot creature “S” (first seen in Final Fantasy Legend II and rarely seen since, outside of Re;univerSe) makes a triumphant return. What led you to put him in place? Does his role as “giver of combat trials” match with his role as a sort of combat teacher/tutor from FFL2 / SaGa 2 Hihou Densetsu?
Kawazu, Shibata: Battle missions were present in the previous entry, SaGa Scarlet Grace, but they have more significance in this title. We had decided from the start to have Mr. S appear in the game, but his role was not defined in any way. Wouldn’t you say it feels like a natural progression for him to eventually end up in a role guiding players? By completing the missions Mr. S throws at them, players can naturally pick up some tips for battle.
